Refrigerator



lJuly 31,1934. F. T. RoDGERs REFRIGERATOR IFiled. Jan.

Patented July 31, 1934 uNrrEDsTATI-:s ,PATENT OFFICE I REFRIGERATOR Fay T. Rodgers, Memphis, Tenn.

Application January 6, 1933, Serial No. 650.538

4 claims. 01. eis-13s) l This invention relates to improvements in lrefrigerators, particularly those of the display type; land has especial reference to means for facilitating access to various portions of the interiors of such refrigerators.

Refrigerators 'for use in butcher shops, groceries or the like are usually provided with doors at the rear for access to the interior thereof. In refrigerators as heretofore designed for such use, :and in which it is intended to display various commodities while they lare being kept under refrigeration, the refrigerator case usually is of such depth `from front to back that, particularly when one or more shelves are installed in the case, access to front portions thereof is extremely difficuit, and the utility of the refrigerator is correspondingly lessened. In the veffort to overcome this objection to some extent, it has been common practice to incline the rear side of the case, either from top to bottom, or from the top to some predetermined distance above the bottom. But this makeshift has proven unsatisfactory in several respects, among which may be mentioned the reduction in area of the top surface of the case that ordinarily is utilized for display purposes and other uses; the differences in the extent of accessibility of shelves placed at different heights; and the resulting undesirable arrangement of the rear doors of the case. Also, in order that articles on an upper shelf or shelves may not obscure those on lower shelves, it frequently is desirable to incline the front of the case, and if the back also is inclined, very little top area remains. The primary object of the present invention is to provide means for affording access to front portions of the interior of refrigerators and the like, while avoiding the foregoing and other objections to the means heretofore employed by those seeking to accomplish said object, and while improving upon all such means known heretofore, particularly in the following respects:

By facilitating general access to the interior of a case of the character described, While at the same time retaining a maximum area of top surface of the case.

By similarly aifording access to front portions of the case.

By similarly aording access to portions of the case between superpcsed shelves, between a shelf and the bottom of the case, or between a shelf and the top of the case.

By affording such access, while employing vertically-disposed doors.

By affording such access while employing doors adapted'to be swung laterally'to open and closed positions. i

The means by which the foregoing and `ether objects are accomplished by my present invention, and the manner of their accomplishment. readily will be understood from the following description on reference to the accompanying drawf ing, in which- Fig. l lis rear elevation of a `refrigerator embodying a preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan of the same, showing the arrangement of the doors and the shape and design of the top.

Fig. 3 isa section taken substantially on line III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing an alternate arrangement of the doors and top sill.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference numerals 5 and 6 indicate the respective ends of a refrigerator case, having the usual glass paneling at -the front '7 (which, in accordance with the best practice, is shown as being inclined) a glasspaneled top 8; vand a rectangular base 9. The space for the refrigeratin-g machinery (not showni is indicated as being at vthev middle l0 of the case, and as being closed at the `rear by suitable stationary panels, access to such space being had at one or both of the respective sides thereof. Such showing of the machinery space is merely typical, and no eiTect upon the present invention would result from placing the refrigerating machinery at either or both ends of the case, or from the use of doors to afford direct access to the machinery space or spaces from the rear of the case. Altho other shelving, or a diierent arrangement of the shelves, may be employed if desired, it is customary to have a shelf, such as indicated at 11, usually of largemesh screen or spaced small metal rods, supported approximately half way between the top and the bottom of the case, and a similar shelf l2 slightly above the bottom. The rear end of the case is closed by upper" doors 13 and 14, and lower doors 15 and 16, all of which are adapted to swing laterally to open and closed positions. When employing the form of upper doors shown in Fig. 3, such doors are similar to the lower doors, and have their outer faces ush therewith, but the upper doors extend to such a height as to have their upper edges flush with the top of the case. An intermediate door-frame member 17 is disposed longitudinally of the case, and carries stop strips 18 and 19 at its upper and lower sides, respectively, said strips lying in the same vertical plane as a stop strip 20 at the bottom of the lower doors. A longitudinal frame member 21 serves both v as a support for the top 8 of the case, and as an abutment for the upper portions of the inner faces of the upper doors.

In the alternate arrangement of the upper doors as shown in Fig. 5, the upper frame member 21A is placed considerably farther forward than the intermediate door-frame member 17A, and the upper doors 13A and 14A are each provided with a cleat or extension member 22 at the upper portion of the inner face, such member projecting beyond said face a sufficient distance to adapt it to abut against the upper frame member 21A, and form a tight closure therewith. The upper surface of the door and the cleat or extension 22 is ush with the top 8.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that when the upper doors are closed, the rear side of the case presents a substantially unbroken vertical surface, and a full width of flush top lis available; but when either of the upper doors is opened, access to the interior of the case, and particularly to the front portion thereof, through the door opening, is greatly facilitated. These desirable features are provided without necessitating the use of inclined doors, and without visibility within the case from the top being interfered with bythe inclination of the rear side of the case.

It will bel understood that sealing strips and other usual minor detail have in the interest of simplification been omitted, as not being germane to the present invention. v

Having now fully disclosed the invention, what is claimed is:

l.A A refrigerator having a top wall with a substantially plane top surface, and a substantially vertical rearwall, said rear wall being rectangularly cut away to form a doorway, said out extending to, and full depth across said top wall,

whereby access to the interior of said refrigerator is promoted, and a door, substantially of equal thickness with said rear wall, housed within said door-wayand extending upward across said top wall,the end of said door forming part of said top surface.

2. A refrigerator having a top wall with a substantially plane top surface, and a substantially vertical rear wall, said rear wall being rectangularly cut away at a plurality of places to form door-ways, said cuts extending to, and full depth across said top wall, whereby access to the interior of said refrigerator is promoted, and doors, substantially of equal thickness with'said rear wall, each housed within a door-way and extending upward across said top wall, the ends of said doors forming part of said top surface.

3. In a refrigerator having the usual thickened walls, including a substantially horizontal top Wall, and a substantially vertical rear wall, a doorway cut in said rear wall, said cut extending upward across the top wall of said refrigerator, the rear edge of said top wall in said cut forming a seat for a door, and a complementary door replacing the out away portion of said rear and top walls, said door having the usual beveled side edges, and the inner face of said door seating against said top-wall edge to form a closure and seal therewith, one side edge of said door being hinged to said rear wall, whereby said door may be swung away from said top and access to said case be promoted through said cut away portion of said top wall.

4. In a refrigerator having the usual thickened walls, including a subsantially horizontal top wall, and a substantially vertical rear wall, doorways cut in said rear wall, said cuts each extending upward across the top wall of said refrigerator, the rear edge of said top wail in the portions thus cut away forming seats for doors, and complementary doors each replacing one of said cut away portions of said rear and top walls, said doors having the usual beveled side edges, and the inner face of said doors seating against said top-wall edge to form closures and seals therewith, one side edge of each of said doors being hinged to said rear wall, whereby said doors may be swung away from said top and access to said case be promoted through said cut away portions of said top Wall.

FAY T. RODGERS. 

